perfume: two ways

I've been wearing my beloved Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf ever since its inception. I'd deviate every now and again to try something new, but always came back to Flowerbomb.  The chemistry of me and this perfume has invoked so many reactions, many of familiarity (how it's become "my smell") and several people have nuzzled their faces into my neck emitting a variety of exclamations.  But somehow I feel like my relationship with Flowerbomb should come to an end or at least take a pause.
Back in 2006, while in Paris, my mom offered to buy me my first bottle, which attracted me because I thought the design was cool. I kid you not, that's how calculated my perfume decisions were: "I like Viktor & Rolf" + good bottle design = winning combination.  I knew nothing about perfume, I tried some here and there but I was far from making an educated choice on what would work on me.  But hey! My math worked! And I have been wearing it since.  For many christmases my Flowerbomb stash would be replenished by my mother who thought it would be an easy and practical gift for her not-easy-to shop-for-daughter. Last christmas was my first one without my mother and my signature scent was dwindling.  I took it as a sign.  Time to move on.

I am taking the very calculated route this time.  No abstract math.  Just test drives.
Clockwise from top left:
-Maison Martin Margiela's Replica, Promenade in the Garden
-Maison Martin Margiela's Replica, Lazy Sunday Morning
-Byredo, Bal D'Afrique
-Byredo, Gypsy Water
-Heeley Parfum, Iris de Nuit
-Atelier Cologne, Silver Iris

I've been feeling a bit multiple personality since starting the tests.  Hopefully I'll be able to strike perfume gold twice.

Speaking of twice here's the sonic version of perfume:

(a phone photo of Alan Wyffels and Mike Hadreas)

Last weekend I attended the Basilica Hudson's Basilica SoundScape, an "antifestival" of music and art and awesomeness in the Hudson Valley.  From improv jazz drumming, performance art, noise bands, and droning electronic music, the night I spent at the Basilica had filled up my senses and The Haxan Cloak's subwoofers rearranged my insides.  (Peep this great roundup article for more.) A more low-key moment in the evening introduced me to Perfume Genius who managed to seduce the audience into a dreamy eyed state. The set included a version of this charming piano duet, which has been looping in my playlist since I got home. Enjoy.

Last look: an enlightened telephone booth buddha at Basilica Hudson.

First cover- ELLE QUEBEC

Really stoked to share the first magazine cover I had the pleasure of styling!  This is ELLE Québec's September 2015 issue featuring the talented singer/songwriter Coeur de Pirate.
For this shoot I was in the awesome company of prolific photographer Max Abadian (we're not worthy!) and hair/make up artist (and creative multi-talent) Andrew Ly.
For the looks I am very grateful for the collaboration with Costume National for the striped suit and to Tanya Taylor for the vintage vibe dress.  Keep reading for the complete credits (yeah, you want to know where those boots are from?!)

Unfortunately there's one little bit of major #buzzkill ... those with eagle eyes can make out that the "stylisme" credit was not made out to me.  The credit was given to a very lovely and talented stylist who was not involved with the shoot, and the unfortunate editorial oversight is now living in print on news stands across Quebec.  The awesome ELLEQC team hastened to rectify online/electronic copies and offered their apologies.  In order not to be too bummed about the whole situation (whyyyyy? in print!) I listened to Krishna Das' soothing Eddie Vedder-esque voice to decompress as I drove to an idyllic plot of land in the country.  I feel much better now thank you.

styling credits:

wool suit: Costume National
t-shirt: James Perse
shoes: Michael Kors Collection
necklace: Jennifer Meyer
rings: House of Harlow 1960 & Aldo Accessories

dress, turtleneck, belt: Tanya Taylor
boots: Filippa K
rings: House of Harlow 1960 & Aldo Accessories

Kevin Ledo & 5800 Harold

Kevin Ledo is at it again.  This time with two massive pieces for 5800 Harold, apartment residences in Hollywood, California.  I checked out the in-progress canvases, one 7'x20' and the other 7'x30' (holy moly!) each featuring astral bodies rendered in paint and gold leaf.  See that shine in the image above?  That's not just any old photographic hot-spot-that's the shine of the leaf itself.

Ledo set up camp in Sid Lee's very cool multi-purpose space which had multiple rooms each thematically dedicated to some of my favourite film directors.

A quote from David Lynch, excerpted from a piece the director wrote for the Huffington Post on his obsession with coffee.

A quote from "A Clockwork Orange"

This is a quote from Jean-Luc Godard, but has been used often in describing the non-linear style of Michel Gondry.

A Sergio Leone quote from Spaghetti Westerns: Cowboys and Europeans from Karl May to Sergio Leone.

 A Hitchcock quote from a 1960 BBC interview.

Loved the lighting in the Hitchcock room

Admittedly when I first saw the name, my mind first jumped to Roy Andersson, which wouldn't be that much of a stretch given both directors' absurdist tendencies.  But indeed this quote is from Wes Anderson's Darjeeling Limited.

Kevin and I found this gold box next to a red cord.  It was thematically appropriate with his painting.

This photo ensued:

Robocut x Printemps Numérique

Recently I was asked to document a two-day Rube Goldberg machine making-a-thon at Robocut Studios, a multidisciplinary one-stop-make-it-all shop.  From conception to digital fabrication, to CNC milling, to laser cutting, 3D printing, prototyping and electronics, Robocut covers the gamut of design needs.  To show off these skills in a kooky and fun way, the studio participated in Printemps Numérique, a three-month long initiative to unite and showcase Montréal's digital creatives.  A group of participants (with and without previous experience) signed up to conceptualize, design and realize a Rube Goldberg machine using electronics and good old mechanics.
A text message was sent to the omnipresent Cloud asking "Hey girl, would you like a gin and tonic?" triggered a circuit and began the chain reaction which resulted in the mixing of the aforementioned drink. Success!

Environmental Graphics

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a teacher at Quebec High School in Quebec City with a proposed project for their arts wing that was in desperate need of a makeover.
Ready for the "before" images?
The murals on the walls were created by students over ten years ago when the school had thought the whole wing would be demolished.  So the kids se sont lâchés loose or let loose as we say in proper Quebecois français.
Brace yourself.

The school was ready to breathe some fresh air into the space and have it be of interest on its own while being able to support the students' art work when it would be displayed on the walls.  Gallons and gallons of primer and paint were laid down to bid adieu to the chaotic artwork and then we stepped in.
"We" was myself and talented friend, artist and make-up sfx guru Mark Unterberger- who has recently launched himself into the world of industrial and graphic design, so naturally I thought he'd be down with this gig.

With lots of tape, a couple of gallons of a taupey/warm grey and a handful of very enthusiastic students we said goodbye to Tinkerbell and laid down simple graphics to create a calm and open new space for the art wing.

Two of the dedicated students getting into the details.

Object Art

I checked out the multi-disciplinary show Objects Are larger Than They Appear at un un huit un galerie/Off The Hook Gallery to take in some sculptures, installations and a painting or two.  The above work by Sam Ries beckoned me, with its minimalist study of scale, texture and material.  The large ball was about three feet tall, and despite all my years of gallery-going and knowing one does not "touch the art", all I really wanted to do was drape myself on it.

VSCO Grid PT.2

Almost a year ago I got a sweet surprise in my inbox from the super rad awesome photographic processing peeps VSCO.

...and now lo and behold yet another pleasant email:

Pretty stoked that another image snuck its way into the curated VSCO Grid and as always is in good company! 

The above image was taken at the same time I popped in to take in Papier15, an art fair devoted to works on paper. The fair took place on the upper floors of the newly gutted de Gaspé buildings, which ironically used to host a slew of artist studios before the renovations took place.  But happy endings may come true: the intent now is to maintain several floors for artists and their work spaces at a fixed rate for the next thirty years!

The ground floor has now become the stunning new home to several of the city's contemporary galleries.  Also in a ground floor was an exhibit space dedicated to Cas de Figure, a group show featuring some of UQAM's fine arts graduates.  This is where the above stairs beckoned me.

Latest images from my VSCO Library-I've been surprisingly consistent lately.